Fastener.



A G. A. REITZEL. y FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, ISIS.

PatentedSept. 26, 1916.

mur I 4 v /m/mfar AGew e H/'f e/ GEGRGE A. REITZEL, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Rat-elated Sept. 26, 1%16.

Application filed May 29, 1916. Serial No. 100,525.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE A. REITZEL, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Fasteners, oi" which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to clasps of a sort designed for use in various places, and on flexible, or unyielding materials.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple form of clasp wherein the separable members may be clasped together by pressure, and when so united, are positively locked by a member which is operable manually to release them from interengagement when it is desired to separate them.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a bottom view of the clasping member constituting one of the separable members of my fastener. Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. l, and showing the stud removed from the clasp. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the stud seated within the clasp. F ig. 4 is a section substantially on line -l-4 of Fig. 2, and illustrating the construction of the clasp; and Fig. 5 is a section of a modied form showing a manner in which the clasping member may be attached to a fabric.

Referring to these figures by reference characters, it will be understood that l represents a base or clamping plate which is provided with a longitudinal depression or groove l having lateral sides or shoulders 2 disposed in a plane transverse to the general plane of the plate. The metal forming the bottom of this groove or depression is punched out to form an aperture 4 having a diameter slightly less than the distance between the shoulders 2. Disposed within the groove or depression la and normally lying against the shoulders 2, is a spring member, or a pair of cooperating spring members 5. These are secured to the plate l in any convenient fashion, such as by having their rear extremities deliected laterally and a portion of metal integral with the plate 1 bent over them, or said extremities may be clamped between the plate l and the cover plate hereinafter to be described. The other extremities of the spring members Vextend beyond the margin of the plate l at the end of the depression la to a distance sutlicie'nt to permit their being engaged by the finger of an operator. fThe disposal Vof the spring members, and the tendency thereof, is such that they always will lie normally in the groove la, as abpve described, in which position their outer sides-abut the shoulders 2, and their inner sides extend across portions of the aperture 4. This clasping` member is arranged for attachment by means of lateral portions lb which may be provided with apertures to accommodate securing means.

Arranged for coperation with the clasping member is a stud member 6 which is provided at its lower portion with any suitable means 7 whereby it may be attached to the contemplated material, and having a shank portion 8 of diameter proper to permit its insertion through the aperture 4. Adjacent its upper. extremity, the shank portion is provided with an annular groove 9 which forms a terminal collar or head l0 on the shank portion. rlhe peripheral edges of this collar or head portion are rounded oil. The diameter of the shanlcportion including the head portion l0 is greater than the distance between the spring members 5 when the latter are in their normal position against the shoulders 2. The width and depth of the groove 9, however, are such as to receive the spring members 5 when the stud is inserted therebetween, and permit said spring members to occupy their normal position against the shoulders 2. ln inserting the stud member into the clasp member, the head portion 10 is inserted through the slot 4 and into contact with the spring members 5. Pressure exerted upon the clasp and stud members to force them together, operates to swing the spring members upwardly out of the groove l, by virtue of the engagement of the head portion l() upon said spring members, until the spring members are clear of the shoulders' 2. When in this position, however, they are permitted to diverge under the pressure and wedging action from the stud member, and permit the head portion l0 to pass between them. Thereupon, the spring members will snap into the groove 9 whereupon, upon removal of the pressure, the spring members will return to their normal position againstV shoulders 2 under their own spring tendencya clasping the stud member between them in the position illustrated in Fig. 8. W ith the portions in this position, it is impossible to remove the stud member from the clasp member by any amount of pressure tending to pull the members apart, as the tension on the stud member will operate simply to draw the head portion 10 more firmly into engagement with the spring members 5, and clamp these members more firmly against the shoulders 2, which prevent their diverging. When it is desired to separate the stud member from the clasp member, the projecting ends of the spring members 5 are engaged, and lifted out of the depression 1, in which position the wedging action against the head portion 10 will move them apart and permit the withdrawal of the stud member.

Any suitable cover plate, vsuch as the plate 11, may be provided over the base plate 1. The conformation of this cover plate, of course, must be such as to give suthcient space for the removal of the spring members 5 out of the depression 1a. rhis cover plate may be formed to act as the means for securing the clasping member to a fabric, by providing the lateral portions of the cover plate with prongs 12 adapted to be inserted through the fabric and through apertures in the lateral portions of the base plate. `When such prongs are clenched over the base plate, they will operate to hold the clasping member securely in position.

F rom the foregoing description, it will be apparent that my improved fastener forms an absolutely secure and positive clasp, the cooperating members of which cannot be separated by tension upon them, yet at the same time the said members are readily disengaged and separated by simple volitional operation.

I am aware that the device herein shown and described is lsusceptible of various changes, modifications and adaptations not specifically shown or referred to, but within the scope and spirit of the invention as indicated in the following claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A fastener including a clasping mem- Vvber carrying spring members normally spaced a denite distance apart but capable of relative movement when in an abnormal position, said clasping member being provided with means for maintaining said spring members at said definite distance apart when they are in normal position, and a stud member movable into engagement with said spring members and adapted to move them out of their normal position under pressure, said stud member having a portion which overlaps and a portion of which may be accommodated between said spring members when the latter are in normal position.

2. A fastener including a clasp member and a stud member, the clasp member including a base plate formed with shoulders and an aperture for the reception of the stud member' intermediate said shoulders, together with spring members normally abutting said shoulders at their outer sides and extending partially across said aperture at their adjacent sides, and the stud member including a terminal head portion insertible through the said aperture and having a width greater than the normal distance between the spring members, said stud portion having a depression adjacent said head portion adapted to accommodate the spring members in their normal position; the said spring members being movable beyond the said shoulders to permit their relative divergent movement for the passage of the stud between them.

3. A fastener including a clasp member and a stud member separate therefrom, said clasp member including a base yplate formed with a. shoulder and an aperture adjacent the shoulder, together with a spring member arranged to lie normally against the shoulder' and partially across the aperture, the stud member having a shank portion insertible through the aperture and into engagement with the spring member and including a terminal head portion of width suflicient to overlap a portion of the spring member and a recessed portion adjacent the head portion and adapted to accommodate the spring member when the latter is against the shoulder; the spring member being movable beyond the shoulder to permit its movement outside the area of the aperture.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of May, 1916.

GEORGE A. REXTZEL.

lVitnesses F. CRAWFORD, CARL L. SOEKEP..

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby eertifled that in Letters Patent No. 1,199,422, granted September 26, 1916, upon the application of George A. Reitzel, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Fasteners, an error appears in the printed speeieation requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 63,'e1ai1n 17 strike out the Word of and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may Conform to the record of the Gase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24th day oi October, A. D., 1916.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Uommfisstoater of Patents.

Correction n Letters Patent No. 1,199,422. 

